Social Studies

Social Studies

The Five Big Ideas of Social Studies

Social Studies standards are organized around five "Big Ideas" that are important to the discipline of social studies. These big ideas are conceptual organizers that remain the same for each grade level.

Government and Civics
Cultures and Societies
Economics
Geography
Historical Perspective

Possible Programs

http://www.teachtci.com/ -Social Studies Alive!
http://www.choices.edu/ -Choices
http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/harcourt_brace_social_studies.html -Harcourt Brace Text

Role Play/Simulations/Lesson Plans

• Visual Discovery

• http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes Searchable website that allows teachers to find and use lesson plans based on a specific theme.
• Benefits of Using Literature in the Social Studies Classroom.docx
• Reader's Theater
  • Sample Reader's Theater (Harriet Tubman)
  • Sample Reader's Theater (The First Thanksgiving)
• The Power of Reader's Theater
• How to use Read-Aloud Plays.doc
• http://www.zimmertwins.com/ A kid friendly site that let's you create cartoons.
• www.blabberize.com Create talking pictures in an easy to use program. You can even make an entire slide show of talking images!
• www.goanimate.com This site allows you to create your own cartoon.
• www.animoto.com Create cartoons with this site.

• Glogster

• Make online posters

• How to create a glog.ppt

• Create an interactive timeline

• www.dipity.com

• www.timetoast.com

Wikis
See how a wiki was created to support a 5th Grade lesson on abolitionism http://abolitionismanddissent.wikispaces.com/
Check out this wiki created by Betty, a 5th grade teacher in JCPS

Qwiki
See how it works below


Use qwiki to search a topic of your choice
How do you see students using this resource?

Louisville Free Public Library Tools

http://www.lfpl.org/research/Subjects/HistoryGeographyRemote.asp -This site contains online research materials. YOU WILL NEED TO LOG IN USING YOUR LIBRARY CARD AND PASSWORD.

Grolier Online Encyclopedia

http://go-passport.grolier.com/ -This site contains interactive research resources for students and teachers.
Just for Fun!
www.havefunwithhistory.com A resource for students, educators and all lovers of American History

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/ Games and activities for kids on a variety of topics

http://classroomnext.blogspot.com/2009/02/school-house-rock-on-youtube.html Schoolhouse Rock videos on youtube